New Pentagon adviser claims top US officials made 'very rich' by 'Israel lobby'

A newly appointed Pentagon adviser has claimed on at least two separate occasions that money flowing from the "Israeli lobby" is central the reason why Washington maintains close relations with the Jewish state, according to a report published by CNN. 

Retired US Army Colonel Douglas Macgregor has also accused top level government officials, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, of getting "very, very rich" due to their support for Israel.

In September 2019, Macgregor was asked whether then-national security adviser John Bolton and Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham were eager for war with Iran.

“You have to look at the people that donate to those individuals,” Macgregor said.

“Mr Bolton has become very, very rich and is in the position he’s in because of his unconditional support for the Israeli lobby. He is their man on the ground in the White House,” said Macgregor.

“The same thing is largely true for Mr Pompeo, he has aspirations to be president,” Macgregor said. “He has his hands out for money from the Israeli lobby, the Saudis and others.”

Following the firing of US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper last week, Macgregor was named as an adviser to acting defense chief Christopher Miller.

Macgregor also made similar comments while appearing on the Moscow-backed outlet RT in 2012, where he spoke about the American Israel Public Affairs Committee's (AIPAC) “enormous influence” around the halls of Capitol Hill.

“I think... [AIPAC] and its subordinate elements or affiliated elements that represent enormous quantities of money that over many years have cultivated an enormous influence in power in Congress,” he said.

“I think you’ve got a lot of people on the Hill who fall into two categories — one category that is interested in money and wants to be reelected, and they don’t want to run the risk of the various lobbies that are pushing military action against Iran to contribute money to their opponents,” Macgregor said.

Macgregor did not respond to a CNN request for comment.